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Congress Divided Over Telangana Issue

The division in Andhra Pradesh Congress over bifurcation of the state became apparent as the MLAs and ministers from Telangana and those from other regions of the state today separately met party in-charge of Andhra Pradesh, Gulam Nabi Azad, over the vexed issue.

Congress MLAs and ministers from Telangana region, who met Azad here, appealed him to take immediate steps for formation of Telangana.

“We are not ready to accept any thing short of Telangana. All arguments and assurances to protect the interest of the Telangana have been violated. We told Azad to take a quick decision in formation of Telangana,” senior Congress MLA R Damodar Reddy told reporters.

He hoped that a favourable decision would come up by June 15.

“We are ready for any sacrifices. We have our plan of action (ready),” said Reddy.

Union Health Minister and AICC general secretary, Azad, who was appointed as the in-charge of party affairs about three months ago, was on a two-day visit to the city to take stock of the situation against the backdrop of the humiliating defeat of the party in Kadapa bypolls and deep division within it over the Telangana issue.

Meanwhile, party MLA’s and ministers from the coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema also met Azad and demanded that the state of Andhra Pradesh be kept united.

“We told him that Andhra Pradesh should remain united for Congress to come back to power in 2014 elections and Rahul Gandhi to become prime minister. It is in the interest of the people,” Congress MLA Jogi Ramesh said.

Azad yesterday met party functionaries and other leaders and is today interacting with MPs, MLAs and other elected representatives.

Later, a delegation of Congress MPs from Telangana met Azad and demanded that the process of formation of Telangana be initiated at the earliest.

“We hope that our party leadership would give Telangana. However, we have already told our party leadership that we will have to take part in separate state Telangana agitation, if there is no positive decision over the issue,” Congress MP from Karimnagar, Ponnam Prabhakar told reporters.

The Congress MPs and other leaders from Telangana would lead the separate Telangana agitation and there is no need for Telangana Joint Action Committee (JAC) to give a call to boycott the Congress leader, Prabhakar said.

He was referring to the call by the JAC to boycott Congress and TDP leader from June 1, if they fail to work for separate Telangana.

The Congress MPs also demanded that funds be allocated for completing the State-run Nizam Institute of Medial Sciences (NIMS)-University campus near Bibinagar in Nalgonda district of Telangana.